Europa League dream still alive
David Moyes called Sevilla the favourites for the Europa League and the toughest test that West Ham could have faced in the last-16. Some claim considering Barcelona are still in the draw, but with Julen Lopetegui's side sitting second in La Liga, seven points clear of the Catalans and the undisputed masters in the Europa League, Moyes made a fair point.
That West Ham are bringing the Spaniards back to London only trailing by one goal is a fantastic effort from Moyes' team and the Hammers will go into the clash confident they can progress to the quarter-final.
West Ham are likely to have Jarrod Bowen back in the team which will give them something extra in attack as they look to see off Lopetegui's team.
The Hammers were wasteful in attack with Nikola Vlasic, Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini the guilty parties, so adding Bowen back to the mix will be a huge boost for West Ham.
A defeat is of course not ideal but that it was only a narrow one gives the Hammers hope for next Thursday at what is sure to be a rocking London Stadium.
West Ham support
In the city prior to the match and during the game the West Ham supporters were in fine voice. The night before the match there was trouble in the city but not of the Hammers' fans making.
They were subject of an unprovoked attack by Eintracht Frankfurt fans, with eyewitnesses confirming that the West Ham fans were simply defending themselves. On matchday the sun was out, the beers flowing and songs heard around the city centre.
Locals and tourists were enjoying the spectacle, joining in and filming the scenes and bar owners were delighted at the takings.
The jovial atmosphere continued throughout the match, with the 3,000 fans in the away end doing their best to match the fantastic home support. Such was the clamour for tickets there were reports from a local Spanish journalist that a number of the €9,999 tickets were sold to visiting fans who made it in with the Sevilla support.
The price had been put on the Sevilla website as a deterrent to non-Sevilla members but still a large number of Hammers fans bit the bullet and forked out an extortionate amount to be in the impressive Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
Alphonse Areola decision
David Moyes opted to stick with his regular cup goalkeeper Alphonse Areola at the expense of the man he has called his No.1 this season, Lukasz Fabianski.
The Pole has risen to the challenge for his spot that Areola has brought this season and will no doubt have been disappointed to miss out last night. Fabianski started the first match of the competition for West Ham in Zagreb but has since been rested in the tournament.
The No.1 did not make the trips to Genk and Vienna but was at least included in the travelling party to Spain as back-up to Areola, should anything happen to the Frenchman.
Moyes' decision to start Areola was vindicated after his performance in Spain. The Frenchman had no chance with the goal but otherwise, barely put a foot wrong otherwise and is sure to start next week as well.
Fantastic night for the academy
Not for the first time this season Moyes has used the Europa League to include a number of academy graduates in his matchday squad.
Declan Rice and Ben Johnson were in the starting XI with club captain Mark Noble on the bench but there were four others who made the trip and got a sample of what a European away day was all about.
Aji Alese, Freddie Potts, Dan Chesters and Sonny Perkins were all in Spain soaking up the superb atmosphere. The quartet were some of the last to leave the pitch prior to kick-off and were looking around the stadium taking everything in.
None of the four came off the bench, which was no great surprise, but simply being with the squad must have been a huge thrill for the youngsters and made them desperate for more now they have had a taste for it.
That Johnson barely gets a mention in here is testament to how settled he has become in the first team and despite his age is now considered a permanent fixture in the matchday squad and providing a strong challenge for Vladimir Coufal's starting spot.
Superb Rice... again
Yes, it is that time of the week again when Declan Rice gets his own personal talking point. It does not get boring watching the England star let alone writing about him.
After a virus that Moyes called 'really nasty' the midfielder had just one training session before being declared fit for the Europa League match. The manager summed it up perfectly when he said: "if fit and available he will certainly play."
The 23-year-old captained the team and made a vital contribution in the opening minutes when tracking back to get a foot in to stop Acuna's effort. The captain continued in this vein throughout the game with numerous interceptions, blocks and tackles, not to mention the way he marshalled his team.
Rice played in a deeper role than he has done at times this season with Moyes rejigging his team during the match to a 4-1-4-1 formation, away from his favoured 4-2-3-1. Rice was the sitting midfielder which did take away a little from his attacking prowess but he was doing exactly the job his manager required of him.
We know Rice has got an attacking element to his game but it was not one on show in Spain but despite this he still shone through as one of the most influential players on the pitch.
West Ham insist that they have no desire to let their key man leave this summer but with the midfielder so clearly ready for regular European football it feels like the Hammers must have that on offer next season if they wish to keep him in claret and blue.
